Every time a pimple pops up on your face, we know what you’re thinking: This is war. But it’s actually after you’ve conquered the enemy (with your arsenal of skin care products) that the battle truly begins. Eliminating these short-lived blemishes often leaves long-lasting acne scars which can be the most disheartening part of clearing away pimples. Here’s our guide on how to get rid of the look of acne scars and how to reduce the appearance of dark spots from acne.

What Are Acne Scars?

First of all, what exactly are acne scars and why do they mark the skin? Dermatologist Dr. Lily Talakoub explains that acne scarring occurs when “the skin displays an inflammatory response to previous acne (whiteheads, cysts, nodules, etc.) and physical intervention such as picking or popping.” Acne scars can occur in different forms and it’s not unusual to suffer from multiple types of scars.  

acne scarring occurs when “the skin displays an inflammatory response to previous acne (whiteheads, cysts, nodules, etc.) and physical intervention such as picking or popping

The Most Common Types Of Acne Scars

There are two common categories of acne scars that form as blemishes heal (another type  - a raised, keloid scar - occurs less frequently):

Dark acne spots 

These types of acne scars are forms of discolorations so the skin looking can appear red, purple or brown. Red scars tend to be fresher scars and darker, brown scars are a result of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Depressed acne scars including rolling, ice pick and boxcar scars 

Indented scars are caused when inflammation occurs in acne damaged skin tissue, and the production and structure of collagen is disrupted. The lack of collagen causes the scar tissue to sink into the skin, resulting in textured scars. Ice pick scars are in the shape of a point and boxcar scars appear with a wider base. Rolling scars, on the other hand, are shallower and softer to the touch.

Fortunately, Eminence Organic Skin Care comes to the rescue with several products that help get rid of the look of acne scars. The Eminence Organics Acne Advanced Treatment System,  Arctic Berry Peel & Peptide Illuminating System and our Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum are all skin care lifesavers that can help the appearance of different types of acne scars, including dark spots and depressed acne scars.

How To Improve The Look Of Dark Acne Scars

After a pimple heals, and a dark acne spot or “scar” is left behind, you can target these areas with brightening treatments. Eminence Organics Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergar, tell us: "You want to look for ingredients that are going to brighten. This will help a lot with minimizing the appearance of darkness left behind by the acne condition itself."

How long will it take? Natalie says that, depending on the level of discoloration, it can take between three and six months to see visible improvements. But, using the right ingredients at the right time can make all the difference in accelerating this process. Ingredients to seek out include: zinc hyaluronate, arbutin, licorice root and antioxidants.

Here are a few skin care products she recommends adding to your routine to minimize the appearance of discoloration:

The new Acne Advanced Treatment System - especially Acne Advanced Clarifying Hydrator - works powerfully at reducing the appearance of dark acne spots. In fact, Eminence Organics Product Development Manager Patty Connor calls our hydrator “a magic eraser” for the look of dark spots. Zinc hyaluronate is one of the key ingredients that reduces the look of irritation and scarring. Arbutin is the other potent element for targeting the appearance of acne-related dark spots. Working in tandem, these effective ingredients treat dark scarring caused by problem skin.

Aside from the Acne Advanced Treatment System, the Arctic Berry Peel & Peptide Illuminating System offers an additional way of reducing dark acne scars, using a blend of arctic berries, lingonberry seed oil and hibiscus seed extract. The system’s Actiwhite™ - a powerful blend of antioxidant-rich ingredients -  diminishes the look of these troubling marks and brightens the skin, while mandelic and citric acid ingredients gently exfoliate and minimize the look of darker areas. 

Another heavy hitter skin care product, Eminence Organics Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum, also helps balance and even out skin tone. This powerful serum uses Vitamin C from lemons and grapefruit, Vitamin E from avocados, and organic kale to lessen the look of dark spots. Watch our In The Mix video below which recommends Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum with Bright Skin Licorice Root Booster-Serum and Bright Skin Targeted Treatment as another effective combination for reducing the look of dark spots:

How to Reduce The Appearance of Ice Pick Acne Scars

Depressed acne scars are the most difficult type of acne scars to treat. For ice pick, boxcar and rolling acne scars, you have to add regular exfoliation to your routine. Natalie's top pick is Eminence Organics Arctic Berry Peel & Peptide Illuminating System. This three-step system exfoliates deeply to refine the texture of the skin. Potent ingredients like ground wild cherry bark and lactic acid remove dead skin cells and buff the skin’s surface, while hibiscus seed extract plumps and smooths out the skin.

Use Eminence Organics Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum along with the Arctic Berry Peel & Peptide Illuminating System for extra intensity. Powered by Vitamin C to improve the look of elasticity, the serum also includes hydrolyzed botanical hyaluronic acid extracted from grass to deeply hydrate and keep the skin plumped for a smoother complexion.

Additional Tips To Prevent Acne Scarring

In addition to these powerhouse products, here are three more tips on preventing and improving the look of acne scars:

1. Visit A Spa

If you’re struggling with acne, be sure to visit an authorized Eminence Organics spa. A trained esthetician can assess your problem skin and provide professional treatments, extractions or exfoliations, without the risk of scarring the skin.

2. No Touching Or Picking

Since popping pimples can cause scarring, avoid picking or even touching your blemishes. Picking can tear the skin and force bacteria, oil and debris deeper, which can cause scarring.

3. Use SPF

Did you know dark acne scars can be worsened with exposure to the sun? Make sure you use SPF to protect against further darkening - explore our sun care options for more information about our SPF products.

Watch this video for more recommendations from Natalie to improve the look of acne scars:

What do you do to improve the look of acne scars? Do you have any secret remedies you'd like to share? Tell us in the comments below or let us know on social media.